The Philippine Revolt

The Philippine Revolution began in 1896 as an uprising against oppressive Spanish

authority that had lasted three centuries, beginning with Ferdinand Magellan's trip to the island in
the early 1560s and ending with the foundation of a full Spanish colony. Spain limited Filipino
religious freedom and political involvement in their own administration, as well as imposing
harsh trade restrictions.
Andrés Bonifacio commanded Katipunan, a secret organization whose objective was to
establish an independent Philippines. When it began to revolt in reaction to the Spanish death of
important leaders and priests, the organization was unprepared militarily to take on Spain.
Katipunan broke into factions, one of which was commanded by Emilio Aguinaldo, who
eventually murdered Bonifacio and seized control of the movement. In 1898, Spain and the
Philippine insurgents agreed
However, Spain sank a US warship near Cuba, prompting the US to declare war on Spain
and join the Philippine rebellion against Spain. When Spain and the United States reached an
agreement, the United States purchased and colonized the Philippines, causing Filipino rebels to
continue fighting against the United States. The Philippines did not get independence until 1946.

The First Pampanga Revolt

The First Pampanga Revolt was launched in 1585 by local Kapampangan chiefs against
Spanish encomienderos in response to atrocities suffered by the indigenous at the hands of the
encomienderos. A conspiracy to storm Intramuros was part of the insurrection. However, the
scheme was thwarted before it could be carried out because a Filipina married to a Spanish
soldier disclosed the conspiracy to Spanish authorities. The revolt's leaders were sentenced to
death for their conduct.

Revolt Against the Tribute

In 1589, the Revolt Against the Tribute took place in the present-day provinces of
Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur. The Ilocanos, Ibanags, and others erupted in protest over
claimed abuses by tax collectors, such as the collecting of illegitimate taxes. Governor-General
Santiago de Vera dispatched Spanish troops to appease the insurgents. They were later pardoned,
and the Philippine tax system was overhauled.
The Sumuroy Revolt

Sumuroy Revolt (1649-1650) On June 1, 1649, in what is now the town of Palapag in
Northern Samar, Juan Ponce Sumuroy, a Waray, and several of his supporters rose in arms
against the polo system being implemented in Samar. This is referred to as the Sumuroy Revolt,
after Juan Ponce Sumuroy. The government in Manila mandated that no indigenous subject to
polo be moved to locations far from their homes to conduct their polo. However, at the orders of
the local town alcaldes, or mayors, Samarnons were being transferred to the Cavite shipyards to
do their duty, sparking the revolt. The local parish priest of Palapag was assassinated, and the
insurrection extended throughout Mindanao, Bicol, and the rest of the Visayas, particularly in
Cebu, Masbate, Camiguin, Zamboanga, Albay, Camarines, and areas of northern Mindanao like
Surigao. In the Samar highlands, a free government was also created. Sumuroy's defeat, arrest,
and death in June 1650 effectively ended the insurrection.

Dagohoy Revolt
Dagohoy Revolt (1744-1829) Francisco Dagohoy and several of his supporters launched
the Dagohoy Revolt in 1744 in what is now the province of Bohol. This uprising is noteworthy in
that it is the first Philippine insurrection entirely concerned with religious practices. After
Dagohoy's brother died in a duel, the local parish priest refused to grant him a proper Christian
burial since fighting is a grave sin. The priest's reluctance to grant his brother a proper Christian
burial resulted in the longest uprising in Philippine history: 85 years. It also resulted in the
formation of a free Boholano government. Twenty governors-general, ranging from Juan
Arrechederra to Manuel Ricafort Palacn y Ararca, were unable to put down the rebellion.
Ricafort led a force of 2,200 men to Bohol, but they were beaten by Dagohoy's supporters.
Another attempt, launched by Ricafort in 1828 and 1829, also failed. However, Dagohoy died
two years before the revolution ended, resulting in the revolt's conclusion in 1829. Some 19,000
survivors were granted amnesty and subsequently permitted to settle in new Boholano
settlements, particularly Balilihan, Batuan, Bilar (Vilar), Catigbian, and Sevilla (Cabulao).
The Agrarian Revolt
The Agrarian Insurrection (1745-46) was a revolt that took place between 1745 and 1746
throughout most of present-day CALABARZON (particularly in Batangas, Laguna, and Cavite)
and Bulacan, with its origins in the Batangas towns of Lian and Nasugbu. Land-grabbing by
Spanish friars enraged Filipino landowners, who demanded that Spanish monks restore their
properties on the basis of ancestral domain. Rioting erupted as a result of the Spanish priests'
rejection, culminating in extensive theft of convents and fire of churches and ranches. The issue
was subsequently examined by Spanish officials and tried in King Philip IV's court, where he
ordered the monks to restore the property they had taken. The priests were successful in
appealing the restoration of lands to native proprietors, resulting in no land being restored to
native landowners.

The Silang Revolt

The Silang Revolt (1762-63) is perhaps one of the most notable revolts in Philippine
history, lasting from 1762 to 1763 and headed by the couple Diego and Gabriela Silang. Unlike
the previous revolts, this one occurred during the British invasion of Manila. On December 14,
1762, Diego Silang announced Ilocandia's independence, dubbing the state "Free Ilocos" and
named Vigan its capital. The British learned about the uprising in Manila and even requested
Silang's assistance in battling the Spaniards. On May 28, 1763, however, Silang was murdered
by Miguel Vicos, a friend of Silang. The Spanish government paid for his assassination, which
resulted in his death in the arms of his wife, Gabriela. She carried on her husband's fight,
receiving the moniker "Joan of Arc of the Ilocos" for her several successes in war. The fights of
the Silang insurrection are a great illustration of the usage of divide et impera, since Spanish
troops fought the Ilocanos mostly using Kampampangan infantry. The Ilocanos were eventually
defeated, and the insurrection came to an end. On September 10, 1763, Spanish officials
executed Gabriela Silang in Vigan.

The Basi Revolt

The Basi Uprising (1807), also known as the Ambaristo Revolt, was a revolt that took
place from September 16 to September 28, 1807. It was headed by Pedro Ambaristo, and it took
place at the present-day town of Piddig, Ilocos Norte. This insurrection is unusual in that it is
centered on the Ilocanos' love of basi, or sugarcane wine. The Spanish colonial authority
expropriated the manufacture and sale of basi in 1786, thus prohibiting private production of the
wine, which had previously occurred. Ilocanos were compelled to shop at government stores.
However, on September 16, 1807, wine-loving Ilocanos in Piddig rose in protest, with the
insurrection spreading to other towns and combat lasting weeks. The insurrection was finally put
down by Spanish forces on September 28, 1807, but with great effort and cost of life on the
losing side.

The Pule Revolt

Pule Revolt (1840-41) The Pule Revolt, also known as the Religious Revolt of Hermano
Pule, is one of the most well-known religious revolts. This uprising, which lasted from June 1840
to November 1841, was headed by Apolinario de la Cruz, also known as "Hermano Pule." At
June 1840, De la Cruz founded his own religious order, the Confraternity of Saint Joseph
(Spanish: Confradia de San José), in Lucban, in the present-day province of Quezon (then known
as Tayabas). However, in the Philippines at the time, there were two sorts of priests: secular
priests, or parish priests, who were mainly Filipino, and religious priests, or convent priests, who
were usually Spanish. Due to the concentration of Spanish religious power and authority in the
already-established religious orders (the Augustinians, Jesuits, and Franciscans, to name a few),
and the concept that Filipino priests should only stay in the church and not the convent (though
this was not always followed), the Spanish government banned the new order, particularly due to
its deviation from original Catholic rituals and teachings, such as prayers and rituals suited for
men (although this was not always followed). Thousands of people have already participated in
Tayabas, Batangas, Laguna, and even Manila. As a result, the Spanish government dispatched
troops to break up the order, forcing De la Cruz and his followers to stage an armed revolt in
self-defense. Many brutal fights were waged, culminating in the order's last stand in October
1841 on Mount San Cristobal, near Mount Banahaw. The Spaniards finally triumphed, and
Apolinario de la Cruz was killed on November 4, 1841 in Tayabas, the province's capital at the
time. But it didn't stop there. Many soldiers of the Tayabas regiment of the Spanish military
forces, located in Malate in Manila, had family who were members of the order, and many of
those relatives were also slaughtered in the subsequent carnage. The regiment, headed by
Sergeant Irineo Samaniego, rose in mutiny on January 20, 1843, finally taking Fort Santiago in
Intramuros. The next day, however, loyalist forces unlocked the gates of Fort Santiago. The
mutineers were defeated after a fierce struggle.

The Philippine Revolution

The Philippine Revolution (1896-1898) The Philippine Revolution began in 1896 as an
uprising against oppressive Spanish authority that had lasted three centuries, beginning with
Ferdinand Magellan's trip to the island in the early 1560s and ending with the foundation of a full
Spanish colony. Spain limited Filipino religious freedom and political involvement in their own
administration, as well as imposing harsh trade restrictions. Andrés Bonifacio commanded
Katipunan, a secret organisation whose objective was to establish an independent Philippines.
When it began to revolt in reaction to the Spanish death of important leaders and priests, the
organization was unprepared militarily to take on Spain. Katipunan broke into factions, one of
which was commanded by Emilio Aguinaldo, who eventually murdered Bonifacio and seized
control of the movement. In 1898, Spain and the Philippine insurgents agreed to a cease-fire.
However, Spain sunk a US cruiser near Cuba, prompting the US to declare war on Spain and join
the Philippine insurrection against Spain. When Spain and the United States reached an
agreement, the United States acquired and annexed the Philippines, forcing Filipino insurgents to
continue fighting against the United States. The Philippines did not get independence until 1946.